Key West in December

How December 2026 scores in Key West

• Overall score

  5/10 5/10 Good

  The main score for Key West in December 2026, from 1 to 10, where 10 is best for the visitor. Weather counts for 40%, crowds 25%, daylight 10% and uniqueness 25%. Air quality is shown on its own. How we score

  Overall 5/10: 0.4×9 + 0.25×2 + 0.1×5 + 0.25×3 = 5.35 → 5.

• Weather

  9/10 9/10 Ideal

  Weather 9/10: the average high is 77.7 °F with 54.9 mm of rain (1991–2020 normals, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)). That high is inside the 70–86 °F comfort band, so only rain lowers the score.

  How this was scored

  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), KEY WEST INTL AP, FL US (USW00012836), 1991–2020 normals (www.ncei.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-17)
  • The data file read (www.ncei.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-17)

  high 77.7 °F: no deduction; rain 54.864 mm: −1.10; 10 − 1.10 = 8.90 → 9

• Crowds

  2/10 2/10 Busy

  Crowds 2/10, Busy: in December, passengers arriving at the airport ran at 1.271 times their year's monthly average (median of 2023–2025), compared with the rest of Key West's year. Based on passengers arriving at Key West International (BTS T-100 Domestic and International Segment, all carriers), US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Airport passenger counts include residents and connecting passengers. Cruise passengers aren't in any airport series, so visitors who arrive by cruise ship aren't counted.

  How this was scored

  • passengers arriving at Key West International (BTS T-100 Domestic and International Segment, all carriers), US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) (www.transtats.bts.gov, checked 2026-10-18)
  • The data read (www.transtats.bts.gov, checked 2026-10-18)
  • The data read (www.transtats.bts.gov, checked 2026-10-18)

  2023: 1.271; 2024: 1.234; 2025: 1.283; median 1.271; 10 − 9 × (1.271 − 0.60) / 0.80 = 2.45 → 2

• Daylight

  5/10 5/10 Average

  Daylight 5/10: in December 2026 the sun is up for 10 h 39 min a day on average, from sunrise to sunset at 24.56° N, 81.75° W (NOAA solar equations).

  How this was scored

  • Destination point 24.56° N, 81.75° W, the weather station's published coordinates (www.ncei.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-17)
  • Sunrise and sunset by the NOAA Solar Calculator equations, checked against NOAA's own Solar Calculator code (the US Naval Observatory's service didn't answer us) (gml.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-17)

  mean of 31 days from sunrise to sunset: 10 h 39 min (10.65 h); 1 + 1.5 × (10.65 − 8) = 4.98 → 5

• Uniqueness

  3/10 3/10 Few events

  Uniqueness 3/10: 2 dated events from official calendars fall in December 2026: Holiday Village & BeLighted Bike Ride (single-day) and Coast is Clear Petronia Street Block Party (single-day). 10 more events are listed but not counted: at most 2 of each type count.

  • Holiday Village & BeLighted Bike Ride · Single-day · Dec 4 · +1
  • Coast is Clear Petronia Street Block Party · Single-day · Dec 5 · +1
  • Holiday Parade · Single-day · Dec 5 · not counted
  • Montessori United 5K · Single-day · Dec 6 · not counted
  • The City's Annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony · Single-day · Dec 6 · not counted
  • Shaun Cassidy UNWRAPPED: Songs & Stories For The Holidays · Single-day · Dec 10 · not counted
  • Holiday Concert & Bazaar · Single-day · Dec 11 · not counted
  • 18th Annual A Positive Step 5K Rudolph Red Nose Run · Single-day · Dec 12 · not counted
  • Deck the Hulls! Annual Schooner Wharf Bar Key West Lighted Boat Parade · Single-day · Dec 12 · not counted
  • The Broken Hearts: A Tribute to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers · Single-day · Dec 12 · not counted
  • Key West Triathlon · Single-day · Dec 13 · not counted
  • New Year's Eve Red Shoe Drop · Single-day · Dec 31 · not counted
  How this was scored

  • Holiday Village & BeLighted Bike Ride (single-day), 2026-12-04, Coffee Butler Amphitheater, 21 East Quay Road, Key West, FL (www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov, checked 2026-10-17)
  • Coast is Clear Petronia Street Block Party (single-day), 2026-12-05, 300 block of Petronia Street, Key West, FL (www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov, checked 2026-10-17)
  • Florida Keys & Key West events (official tourism board calendar) (visitfloridakeys.com, checked 2026-10-17)
  • City of Key West (city or municipal government calendar) (www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov, checked 2026-10-17)
  • Grand Slam tennis (WTA Tour 2027) (major-sports competition calendar) (wtafiles.wtatennis.com, checked 2026-10-17)
  • Formula 1 World Championship (2026 and 2027 seasons) (major-sports competition calendar) (www.formula1.com, checked 2026-10-17)
  • FIFA World Cup and continental championships (Women's World Cup 2027, AFC Asian Cup 2027, Concacaf W Championship 2026) (major-sports competition calendar) (digitalhub.fifa.com, checked 2026-10-17)
  • Abbott World Marathon Majors and World Athletics Platinum Label road races (major-sports competition calendar) (worldathletics.org, checked 2026-10-17)
  • Super Bowl (2026-2027 National Football League Important Dates) (major-sports competition calendar) (www.nfl.com, checked 2026-10-17)
  • NFL regular-season international games (2026 slate) (major-sports competition calendar) (media.nfl.com, checked 2026-10-17)
  • UEFA club competition finals 2026/27 (Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, Women's Champions League) (major-sports competition calendar) (www.uefa.com, checked 2026-10-17)
  • Olympic and Paralympic Games (LA28 Games dates; Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games) (major-sports competition calendar) (la28.org, checked 2026-10-17)

  1 + 1 (Holiday Village & BeLighted Bike Ride, single-day) + 1 (Coast is Clear Petronia Street Block Party, single-day) = 3. Not counted: Holiday Parade (2 single-day events already count); Montessori United 5K (2 single-day events already count); The City's Annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony (2 single-day events already count); Shaun Cassidy UNWRAPPED: Songs & Stories For The Holidays (2 single-day events already count); Holiday Concert & Bazaar (2 single-day events already count); 18th Annual A Positive Step 5K Rudolph Red Nose Run (2 single-day events already count); Deck the Hulls! Annual Schooner Wharf Bar Key West Lighted Boat Parade (2 single-day events already count); The Broken Hearts: A Tribute to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (2 single-day events already count); Key West Triathlon (2 single-day events already count); New Year's Eve Red Shoe Drop (2 single-day events already count)

• Air quality

  Not measured

  Air quality: not measured. No official fine-particle (PM2.5) monitor has reported within 25 miles of Key West. The nearest, Everglades National Park, is 88 miles away. See How we score.

  • Source: US EPA AirData monitor list: the nearest fine-particle monitor, Everglades National Park (12-086-0030), 88.2 miles from the destination point (aqs.epa.gov, checked 2026-10-18)

Key West through the year: scores out of 10, where 10 is best for the visitor; * marks a provisional score, explained on that month's page

Scores summarize official data with the method on How we score. They aren't a recommendation, and any given year can differ.

When to go

December falls after the official end of the Atlantic hurricane season, although the National Hurricane Center notes that tropical cyclone activity sometimes occurs outside the official dates. NOAA's climate normals for Key West International Airport point to warm days and cooler nights, and the island's holiday calendar is full, with the city's holiday parade early in the month, the historic Home Tours near the end and the Red Shoe Drop on New Year's Eve. Check those dates against your own, and pack a light layer in case a cold front moves through.

Trip facts

• NOAA NCEI's monthly normals (1991-2020) list an average daily high of 77.7 and an average daily low of 68.3 degrees Fahrenheit for Key West International Airport in December. (www.ncei.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-17)
• NOAA NCEI's monthly normals (1991-2020) list average monthly precipitation of 2.16 inches for Key West International Airport in December. (www.ncei.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-17)
• The Monroe County Tourist Development Council's site lists Key West's average water temperature for December as 72 degrees Fahrenheit. (visitfloridakeys.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• The National Hurricane Center says the official hurricane season for the Atlantic basin is from June 1 to November 30, but tropical cyclone activity sometimes occurs before and after these dates, respectively. (www.nhc.noaa.gov, checked 2026-10-15)
• The City of Key West's calendar has a Holiday Parade street closure and city property event notice for Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. (www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov, checked 2026-10-15)
• The Monroe County Tourist Development Council's site lists the 67th Annual Key West Home Tours for December 29–30, 2026, from 1–4 p.m. (visitfloridakeys.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• The Monroe County Tourist Development Council's site lists the New Year's Eve Red Shoe Drop for Dec 31, 2026, at the Bourbon St. Pub, 724 Duval St., Key West. (visitfloridakeys.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• The Monroe County Tourist Development Council's FAQ says that in the winter the Keys usually stay warm and tropical, but cold fronts can move through occasionally, so bring a sweater, light jacket, or warm layers just in case. (visitfloridakeys.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• The Monroe County Tourist Development Council's site says visitors can fly to Key West International Airport via connections or direct flights from a host of cities. (visitfloridakeys.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• The Monroe County Tourist Development Council's site says to reach the Keys from Miami International Airport, take the Florida Turnpike south to U.S. 1 in Florida City, then continue about 22 miles to Key Largo. (visitfloridakeys.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• The Monroe County Tourist Development Council's site says the Overseas Highway is the main road through the Keys, so traffic can build during peak travel times and visitors should plan ahead and allow extra time. (visitfloridakeys.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• The Monroe County Tourist Development Council's site says Key West is one of the easiest places in the Keys to explore without a car, especially in Old Town, and that walking, biking, pedi-cabs, taxis and rideshare services are all popular options. (visitfloridakeys.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• The City of Key West lists Key West Rides On-Demand hours as Monday – Sunday 6 AM – 8 PM, with no service on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. (www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov, checked 2026-10-15)
• The National Park Service says cars cannot access Dry Tortugas National Park, and visitors must travel by ferry, seaplane, private boat, or permitted charter. (www.nps.gov, checked 2026-10-15)